The Hajj 2020 – Steps, Dua, Policy, dates, packages, [LIVE Video]

April 17, 2020 By karimkhan

Hajj 2020 is the name known to an annual pilgrimage to the city of Makkah undertaken by all the Muslims across the globe. It’s a holy journey that takes place one time a year, where more than two to three million Muslims contribute. According to Islamic beliefs, Hajj is mandatory for all the Muslims who can afford. That’s why a lot of Muslims affix particular religious importance to Hajj 2020, saving cash, and planning this journey throughout their lives. In this article, you can read about Packages, Duas to read, Hajj Policy in Pakistan, Dates, and Steps to do. Not only this, We include info about forms of Hajj, Shoes to wear on this journey, the gifts ideas, the history, and hajj pilgrimage.

Are Hajj Packages Beneficial?

When the bookings for Hajj opens, you will get to see different Hajj packages. These packages are created for making every pilgrim capable of participating in Hajj and pray to Allah Almighty for forgiveness. You need to choose the best package which you can afford, and the authorities will do the rest of the task, which is booking and all.

It is also beneficial because after landing the country, you will not have to bother for booking hotels that are nearer the Kaaba. The authorities will make sure that you get to live in the nearest hotel possible so that you can reach Kaaba and other places as quickly as possible because during the Hajj time there’ll be millions of people trying to reach Kaaba as fast as possible. So choose the best package and leave the hassle of booking to the authorities.

Hajj Types

There are three main types of Hajj:

Hajj-ul-Ifrad

The pilgrim who performs this type of Hajj is called Mufrid. This Hajj is an obligation on all those who reside within 48 miles of Makkah, like residents of Jeddah. In this type of Hajj, the pilgrim enters the state of Ihram and intention only before passing through the Meeqat (the place where Ihraam is assumed). Moreover, the pilgrim does not perform Umrah with Hajj. Slaughtering of an animal for this type of Hajj is not necessary.

Hajj-ul-Qiran

The pilgrim who performs this type of Hajj is called Qarin. Qiran means to combine two things, and that is why in this type of Hajj, the Umrah and Hajj are combined. The state of Ihram is entered by the pilgrim to do both, Umrah and Hajj. The obligations on a pilgrim performing this type of Hajj is the same as a pilgrim performing Hajj-ul-Ifrad. The only difference is that in Hajj-ul-Qiran, it is obligatory to slaughter an animal. The pilgrim assumes the state of Ihram wears for Umrah first and then for Hajj. The pilgrim makes the intention for Hajj just before performing Tawaf for Hajj.

Hajj-ul-Tamattu

The pilgrim who performs this type of Hajj is called Mutamatti. Tamattu means to enjoy something. In this type of Hajj, both the Umrah and Hajj are combined. What differentiates this Hajj-ul-Tamattu from Hajj-ul-Qiran is the fact that in the former, the pilgrim after finishing the Umrah leaves the state of Ihraam. And then the state of Ihraam has resumed once again on the 8th day of Zill- Hajj. The pilgrim reaches Makkah only to perform Umrah. Hence, the pilgrim performs the Tawaaf, Saee, and Qasr (the shaving of the head, or clipping of hair).

Allah (SWT) rewards Muslims for all types of Hajj, but the most recommended and rewarding Hajj type is Hajj-ul-Tamattu.

Steps of Hajj Mubarak

Hajj is a display of faith, unity, and solidarity by Muslims. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, and hence, it is obligatory upon all Muslims who have the personal and financial means to di it. Below are the stages to perform Hajj:

PERFORMING UMRAH (1st Part of Hajj)

Assume Ihram:

Ihram is a state of mind that all pilgrims must have before Umrah and Hajj and must maintain throughout. It is a holy site of purity that not only has rules concerning physical and behavioral aspects but also spiritual. It requires sincere belief and honest intentions on the part of pilgrims. It is so essential that without it, one cannot perform Hajj. For both, men and women, cleanliness is a must in every aspect, including nails and body hair, etc. Men are required to cover themselves with a white cloth, while women re required to wear their ordinary clothes. Ordinary clothes generally entail the wearing of abayas, including the head and hair and sometimes, the covering of face as well.

Make the intention to perform Umrah and Hajj. Say the Talyibah.

Without attaining purity and intention, pilgrims cannot enter the holy boundary. After assuming the state of Ihram, the pilgrim approaches the Miqat at one of six historical entry points and then pronounces his intention to perform Umrah and Hajj. It is a tradition to enter these historical locations with the right foot. Later the Talyibah is pronounced (which is also declared repeatedly throughout the event);

Upon seeing the Kaabah, it is good practice to say “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great”) three times, to recite the first Kalmah, to mention a blessing for the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).

Then proceed with the Tawaaf, which requires circling the Kaabah 7 times. Face the Kaaba and pronounce your intention; Allah huma inee ‘ureedul ‘umrata fa yasir haa lee wata qabal haa min nee (O Allah, I perform Tawaf of Umrah to please You. Make it easy for me and accept it from me).

It is also common practice to kiss or touch the Blackstone which is located on the Eastern cornerstone of the Kaabah. After the Tawaaf, mandatory standard prayer must be performed by the pilgrim.

Perform Saee

Saee means “seeking” or “ritual walking.” This requires walking back and forth seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah. Another dua should be recited once the pilgrim has reached the top of Safa; Allah huma inee ureeduss sa’ ya baynas safaa wal marwata sab ‘ata ashwaatin lilaahi ta’aala fa yasir hoo lee wata qabal hu minee. (O Allah! I intend to perform seven rounds of Sa’ey between Safa and Marwah to please You. Make it easy for me and accept it from me) Another dua to keep in mind is the following; Inn-as-Safa wal-Marwa-ta min Sha’aa’irillah (Indeed Safa and Marwah are among the Signs of Allah).

In the end, the pilgrim may recite the Takbeer of “Allahu Akbar” 3 times at least, while facing the kaabah.

If the pilgrims have problems in memorizing these duas, they may recite any of the following takbeers, 3 times at least; “Allahu Akbar,” “Subhanallah,” “Alhamdu Lillah.”

Perform Taqseer, which is shaving your head or clipping your hair.

Both clipping and saving are allowed; however, it must be noted that shaving is mostly preferred. Women are required to a lock of hair. It is alright for men to not completely shave their head as they might prefer to perform Taqseer again when completing Hajj.

Upon completing all of this, the pilgrims can come out of the state of Ihraam and perform the activities that are usually not allowed when one is in the state of Ihraam, like cutting of nails, shaving, etc.

PERFORMING HAJJ (The 2nd Part of HAjj):

Resume Ihraam and form the intention to perform Hajj

When the time comes for Hajj, pilgrims must resume the Ihraam. To assume the state of Ihraam, the requirements and the procedure have been outlined above. Then, declare your intention to perform Hajj; Allahuma in nee u-reedul hajja fayassir hu lee wata qabal hu min nee (O Allah! I intend to perform Hajj. Please make it easy for me and accept it from me). Then the pilgrim must recite the Talbiyah three times.

This state of Ihraam and the intention must remain throughout the event of Hajj. Hajj lasts five days from the 8th to the 12th of Zil-Hajj.

Proceed to Mina

This happens on the first day and the 8th day of Zil-Hajj. The pilgrims are required to head to Mina which is located in Makkah only; it is an 8 km journey. The pilgrims may travel by foot or through buses or cars. There, the pilgrims stay for the whole day from Dhuhr to the next days’ Fajar. The Government of Saudi Arabia provides the pilgrims with facilities like; air-conditioned tents, food, etc. On this day, pilgrims mainly pray to Allah (SWT) as no significant rituals are required to be performed.

Proceed to Arafat and Perform Waquf

This happens on the second day and the 9th day of Zil-Hajj. The pilgrims head to Arafat and reach it by afternoon, which is a nearby mountain. It is a 14.4 km journey. This place is symbolic as it was the location where the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) delivered his last sermon and declared that the religion of Islam has been perfected. A ritual called Waquf begins in the afternoon. Till Maghrib of that day, pilgrims are in a constant state of prayer and even listen to religious sermons. No specific prayers are required for Waquf; all that is needed is continuous prayer and devotion to Allah (SWT).

Pray in Muzdalifah

After sundown, pilgrims proceed to Muzdalifah, which is a place located between Mina and Arafat, it is a 9 km journey. The prayer of maghrib is performed here, and then the whole night is spent here. In the morning, all pilgrims begin to gather pebbles that will be used to perform the rituals of Ramy, also known as the stoning ritual.

Here, they offer a Magrib prayer to God and spend the night sleeping on the ground beneath the open sky.

Go Back to Mina and Perform Ramy

Before the sun rises, all pilgrims once again go to Mina. There, they perform the ritual of Rami, which is a symbolic act highlighting the stoning of the devil. Pilgrims are supposed to throw seven pebbles at a unique stone called Jamrat al Aqabah.

This act is not only symbolic but is done to remember Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him). When Allah (SWT) had commanded Hazrat Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Hazrat Ismail, the Devil appeared and tried to persuade Hazrat Ibrahim not to sacrifice his child, whom he loved so much. But Hazrat Ibrahim maintained his faith and love in Allah (SWT) and threw stones on the Devil in response to scare him off.

Offer a sacrifice by slaughtering an animal

This ritual is essential and can be performed anytime between 10th, 11th, or 12th day of Zil-Hajj. Animals will be sacrificed in the name of the pilgrim and will be offered to Allah (SWT). Rules of sacrificing must be observed, such as; the knife used to sacrifice the animal should not be sharpened in front of it, perform the sacrifice quickly and at the same time ensure that the animal goes through the least name, begin the sacrifice with Allah’s (SWT) name and a prayer. After the sacrifice is made, the meat of the animal is packaged and separated. This meat is then shared among the Muslim community, family, and most importantly, the poor.

This act is symbolic and again, is done to remember Hazrat Ibrahim. He was asked by Allah (SWT) to sacrifice his beloved son. His son happily complied, willing to give his life in the name of Allah (SWT). During the sacrifice, Allah (SWT) replaced Hazrat Ismail with a goat, and herein the tradition and ritual of sacrifice began.

Perform Taqseer in Mina

This ritual has been explained above. Men may shave off their head entirely or partially. Women may cut a lock of hair.

Perform Tawaaf-uz-Ziyarah

This ritual has been outlined above and is performed in the same way as if the pilgrim were performing Umrah.

Perform Saee

The procedure of Saee is the same as if the pilgrim were performing Umrah. The pilgrims may then come out of the state of Ihraam and are allowed to do all those activities that were not allowed in the state of Ihraam. On the third day of Eid, the pilgrims may return to Mina and once again spend the night in prayer and devotion to Allah (SWT).

Perform Ramy again

Pilgrims must return to Mina once again and perform the Ramy Ritual on both, fourth and fifth days. In this instance, the pilgrim will throw pebbles on all three monuments, called; Jamrat al Aqabah, Jamrat Oolah, and Jamrat Wustah.

Perform the farewell Tawaaf

This is the final Tawaaf that pilgrims are obligated to perform. Pilgrims may then choose to remain in Makkah longer or go on to Madinah, the second holiest city, or they may even go on to their homes.

Other things that should be kept in mind are;

For a Hajj to be valid, it is extremely important that the Umrah and Hajj must be performed during the season of Hajj only. For example, it can’t be performed during Muharram. Another example is that if the relevant Umrah done for Hajj is performed before the beginning of Shawwaal, then the Umrah will be not be accepted.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that both Umrah and Hajj should be performed in the same year. A pilgrim cannot leave a Hajj half done and then complete it the next year. Even if the pilgrim continues to wear Ihraam till the next year, it won’t matter as it is extremely crucial that both aspects should be performed in the same year.

Although there may be exceptions to the requirement that the Ihraam should be worn in Makkah only, it is recommended that the general rule be followed. The exception may be feasible in extreme or rare circumstances only.

It is not possible for a pilgrim to perform Hajj in the name of another person, no matter if that person is dead or living. Moreover, it is not possible for a pilgrim to perform one part of Hajj and to leave the other part to another pilgrim.

HAJJ DUAS

It is important to remember that any form of dua, be it reading the Holy Quran or reading tasbeeh, is sufficient, as long as there is the intention to please Allah (SWT). A particularly sacred dua is; “SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllahil Adheem” (Glory be to Allah, and all praise is due to Him). Moreover, it is a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to recite the Tahleel, Takbeer, and Tahmeed as many times as possible on this day.

Tahleel: “Laa ilaaha il-lal-laah”

Takbeer: “Allahu Akbar”

Tahmeed: “Alhamdulillaah”

Tasbeeh: “Subhanallaah”

Niyyah (formal intention):

Nawaitul hajj wa ahramtu bihi lillahi azza wa jall

I make intention for the Hajj, and have entered into ahram for the sake of Allah the Mighty, the Glorified.

O Allah this is your santuary(sacred) and protected place, so forbid me on fire, and protect me from Your punishment on the day You will raise Your servants (again) and make me from among those who are close to You and are obedient to You.

O Allah increase this house in honor, and reverence, and respect and awe. And whosoever venerates and honors this house, coming to it for Hajj or Umrah, increase (him/her) in position, respect, honor and righteousness.

In the name of Allah, and Allah is the greatest. O Allah, with faith in You and testifying to the truthfulness of Your Book, and in fulfilling our covenant with You, and following the sunnah of your prophet, may your blessings and peace be upon him.

Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, to Allah is all praise. There is no god but Allah, He is One and has no partner. To Him belongs all praise and sovereignty. He gives life and takes it away. In His hands is all that is good and He is powerful over everything.

O Allah, make this a blessed Hajj, with sins forgiven and effort that is accepted.

Hajj Sandals / Shoes

Hajj is an important event that requires a lot of physical movement. This makes it essential that pilgrims have the best quality shoes so that they are not uncomfortable throughout the event and instead can focus all their energy on Allah. Below are some shoes that may be perfect for the function of Hajj.

Hajj Sandal Haji shoes for men Daraz

These shoes are not only of affordable and reasonable price, but they are also made of the best material and are lightweight. These shoes are very comfortable and are best for regular use as well. They come in various sizes and are quite easy to put on.

These shoes are made of leather, and aside from having top reviews, they are cheap. These features go onto making this particular pair one of the best choices. They come in various sizes, accommodating many.

While this brand may be slightly more expensive compared to other brands, it only highlights the top quality of the shoes. They come in various sizes and mainly occurred in the color of brown. It has a cushioning sole and is of a breathable style. Made of leather, it’s also comfortable to wear.

HAJJ GIFTS

Because of the significance of this event, an opportunity to receive and give gifts cannot be missed. Below are the best gifts that can be given.

Personalized Mabroor Gift frame

Aside from having good reviews, this product is the ideal gift. It is personalized and beautiful. The canvas is 8 x 10. The writing is done in gold and white. To protect the paint from fading, the frame is sealed with matte varnish. The canvas is painted with black acrylic.

This shirt is incredibly adorable. It is lightweight, and it has the feature of being pre-shrunk, so the fitting remains the same with time and also with multiple wash cycles. It is made of cotton and polyester.

Aside from being the bestseller and having fantastic reviews, it is one of the ideal gifts. It’s especially perfect for those who are embarking on this particular journey as it allows them to write important notes, duas, and their thoughts. The size is A5 and has a softcover. It contains 120 perforated pages, and the pages are lined.

This product is wonderful for all those returning from Hajj and also has top reviews, which reinforces its high quality. The materials used to make this product are; birch wood, cotton string, and paper. It is a tactile and sold wooden heart. On one side, there is the vintage map of Makkah and Madina, and on the other hand, a personalized message in English or Arabic or a combination of both even may be entered.

These decorations have excellent reviews. The material used in this product is foil and is so pretty for when celebrating for those who performed Hajj.

The Importance Of Hajj:

Experiencing the other primary four pillars, Hajj is the 5th pillar of Islam which denotes to intend a journey from eighth to twelve of Dhul-Hijjah and go to the sacred city (Makkah) for performing necessary rituals of the pilgrimage for making up the center of the Islamic belief. According to the Embassy of Saudi Arabia, It is the largest meeting of human beings in the world. Throughout this sacred happening, all the Muslims draw near to Allah Almighty by walking around the Kaaba 7 times, which was the main house built wholly for worshiping Allah Almighty for five days nonstop.

Can You Watch Hajj Live?

Well, the Hajj date is approaching very soon and if you are not able to perform Hajj this year due to some reason they don’t worry because you can still watch this holy happening live not just on your TV screens, but you can also use different online portals for watching Hajj live, and you would not miss any of the rituals performed during the Hajj days.

What Is The Hajj Date 2020?

If you don’t have any idea when is the Hajj 2020 then don’t worry. We are here to help. Well, Hajj will start on August 9th, 2020 on Friday, and will carry on till August 14th, 2020 on Wednesday; in the evening time. It is the uncertain date as the definite date is dependent on the Dhul Hijjah moon sighting. According to the Islamic Calendar, all the Muslim Pilgrimages start on the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah and finishes on the 13th day of the similar Islamic month. There’re a lot of rituals in the Hajj performance, and such might be completed over the five days. Each year, millions and millions of Muslims from all across the world take part in the Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Facts of Hajj The 5th Pillar Of Islam

Hajj Is An Invitation From The Allah Almighty:

When a person makes an intention to perform Hajj, he or she is frequently reminded that the chance is an invitation from the Allah Almighty. The Kaaba in the city of Makkah is contemplated the House of Allah Almighty, and as such, just the ones who are welcomed by Allah Himself are permitted to step foot there.

All the pilgrims have contemplated the guests of Allah Almighty and have to maintain an incredibly humble and grateful attitude when going on this journey. Practically, invitations can be rescinded at any time, whether that comes in the unapproved visas form, missed or canceled flights, or other obstructions. Individuals intending Hajj are advised to continually supplicate to Allah Almighty for inviting them on such a beautiful journey and permit them to see it accomplished and accepted.

Hajj Is Mandatory For All The Adult And Sane Muslims At Least Once:

In the holy book Quran, it is said clearly that it is the duty of those who can perform hajj. Such responsibility falls on all the Muslims all across the world, female and male, over the age of puberty once they are physically and financially capable of making such a beautiful and memorable journey. Hajj is the 5th and the final pillar of Islam, following the testimony of belief, prayer, fasting, and charity. The need is to perform the Hajj once, but the ones who are capable of going numerous times.

Millions Of Individuals From All Across The Globe Travel For Performing Hajj:

In the year 2017, over 2 million Muslims from all across the globe traveled to the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for performing Hajj. Individuals from within Saudi Arabia also come for the Hajj, as well as from the other outside continents. Whether by sea, land, or air, millions meet to accomplish this duty each year.

One finds Muslims from Sudan to their left, Malaysia to their right, India in front, England behind, and this list of all the countries go on and on and on. It is quite the scene to take in, seeing individuals of all ages, colors, and walks of life joining together for one common objective. This miscellany is an eye-opening instant for a lot of individuals who come on this incredible journey of their lifetime.

Reward Of Paradise:

Hajj is recognized to be a tough journey full of sacrifices, both physical and financial. It needs an individual to take some time off from their busy timetable, put money down for the travel package, and frequently leave families behind as they leave for Hajj 2020. Pair it with going to a foreign country with intense heat, unique protocols, and massive throngs, and you’ll have a little sight of what the practical side of pilgrimage has.

Although all the arrangements seem overwhelming, the reward Allah Almighty has promised can never be completely deserved. All the challenges and sacrifices become so tiny when compared to what lies in front as a prize for the accepted Hajj.

Hajj Video Live 2020:

Here is the video and live streaming link to watch Hajj Live.

The Hajj Ballot 2020

Balloting is the procedure used to determine successful people allowed to perform Hajj out of the many applicants. It is conducted and supervised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.

The balloting for 2020 was held on March 8, 2020. The successful pilgrims are informed of their status through short messaging services (SMS). Applicants can also check the status for the application on the following websites; www.hajjinfo.org and www.mora.gov.pk. The successful applicants are also asked to deposit their passports with the banks they initially dealt with. The unsuccessful applicants can take back the money they initially deposited.

This year, the balloting was conducting for selecting 107,526 aspirants based on 68,770 groups. A group could consist of only one pilgrim and a maximum of 14 aspirants. In total, 216,623 applications were received. The total quota of Pakistan was 184,210. The quota of the government scheme was 107,526. Around 90,924 aspirants were selected through balloting.

There were around 2,238 applications from those over the age of 80 years. There were approximately 12,251 applications from those who had been unsuccessful in the ballots consecutively. There were 100,806 applications Punjab; 45,066 applications were received from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including 4,314 from erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas; 49,343 from Sindh; 10,258 from Balochistan; 6,412 from Islamabad; 2,316 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 2,422 applications were received from Gilgit-Baltistan.

Pakistan’s Hajj Policy for 2020

When coming up with the policy, it was the aim of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, to ensure that all necessary facilities are provided to the pilgrims for this critical event. These essential facilities that will be available to around 200,000 Pakistani pilgrims may be in the form of accommodation, transport, and food. The government also claimed that about 25,000 to 58,000 PKR would be saved by the pilgrims due to the excellent negotiating done for the basic services. Moreover, among other things, Pakistani food will be provided to the pilgrims, and also air-conditioned buses have been arranged for transportation. Another important for the Prime Minister was to ensure that the Hajj Policy remains free from indignity and is widely accepted.

Earlier, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony released a memo that lists the important features of the Hajj Policy. They have been summarized below:

The Hajj Quota is 179,210 + 5,000

The above quota of 5,000 is essentially for newly-enrolled, non-quota-holding companies.

The govt. and private Hajj Group Organizers (HGOs) will both be handling the execution of the Government Hajj Scheme 2020. The Government will control 60 percent, and the Hajj Group Organizers (HGOs) will handle 40 percent.

There will be no free Hajj

Under the Government Hajj Scheme of 2020, the charges for North will be 436,975 PKR, and the costs for the South will be 426,975 PKR. There will be additional charges for Qurbani, which are 19,451 PKR, which is optional.

The North includes the following cities; Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan, and Rahim Yar Khan. The South consists of the following cities; Karachi, Quetta, and Sukkur.

Under the Government Hajj Scheme of 2020, the charges for infants residing in the North will be 12,910 PKR. And the costs for infants living in the South will be 11,910 PKR. For this to be applied to an infant, the child must be born after September 15, 2017.

For Hajj applications, the following documents must be submitted in the banks; a valid CNIC and an International Machine Readable Pakistani Passport (IMRPP) which should be valid up to February 2, 2020.

The applications should be submitted to the above banks between February 25 and March 6. The balloting will be held on March 8, 2020.

The relevant Hajj charges will be deposited in Shariah-compliant accounts/instruments by the banks mentioned above.

For the Government Hajj Scheme of 2020, the selection of Hujjaj will be made through the system of computerized balloting.

For senior citizens, total 10,000 seats have been reserved. To be qualified as a senior citizen, the relevant person must be above the age of 80 years. Male pilgrims of high age may be accompanied by one helper. Female pilgrims of high age may be accompanied by female helpers along with their joint mehram.

For those who have been unsuccessful in ballots continuously for the last three years (2016, 2017 and 2018), total 10,000 seats have been reserved for them.

For those with hardship cases, 1.5 percent of the total seats have been reserved.

Five hundred seats are reserved for low-paid employees of companies registered that are registered with the following organizations; the Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and the Workers Welfare Fund (WWF). These organizations have chosen to sponsor their workers under the ambit of Corporate Social Responsibility.

Those who have not availed the Government Hajj Schemes in the last five years (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018), will also be entertained. This includes Hajj-e-Badal / Nafal Hajj. This limitation will not apply to mehram of a woman and even those who want to make use of a private Hajj scheme.

A female pilgrim must be accompanied by a mehram, no matter what age she may be. However, a female pilgrim of Fiqah Jafria, above the age of 45 years, the condition of mehram is mandatory, considering the Saudi talent.

There will be a continuation of the Hujjaj Mohafiz Scheme, which is based on the idea of “Takaful.”

For the Hujjaj and the welfare staff, training and awareness sessions have been organized.

Each Hajj Group Organizer (HGO) is required to submit performance guarantee at 5% and 10% of packages (package x quota) for old and new HGOs, respectively, in the form of a bank or a cash guarantee, which will be released on satisfactory performance.

Both Government and Private Schemes for Hajj will be monitored and supervised.

As required by Saudi Arabia, the following facilities and services will be provided to Hujjaj; the Hajj Medical Mission, Moavineen-i-Hujjaj, Seasonal staff of MORA and IH, and KSA based Moavineen-i-Hujjaj.

5 liters of ZamZam water will be provided to all Hujjaj.

Enterprises, like the “Road to Makkah” at Jinnah International Airport, will be introduced.

Introduction of E-Visa Facility for Hujjaj, with cooperation from Saudi Arabia, may be provided to meet international standards.

Temporary Haji Camps will be arranged on the government’s expense, providing bus facilities in Gilgit and Hujjaj, from Gilgit to Islamabad Airport.

HISTORY

Nobody can, for sure to confirm when the tradition of Hajj or practices of it began. Many claim it started at the time of Hazrat Ibrahim. What is sure that it is was officially established as an obligatory practice by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).

The tradition of Hajj to an extent indeed began from Hazrat Ibrahim as some of the practices reflect some of the events that Hazrat Ibrahim went through. He built the Kaabah upon Allah’s commandment; “And recognize when We revealed Ibrahim the place of the [Sacred] House [saying]: Associate not anything [in prayer with Me and purify My Place for those who circumambulate it [i.e., do tawaaf] and those who rise for prayer and those who bow down and make prostration [in prayer, etc.].”[Surah Al-Hajj 22:26]

One time, upon Allah’s command, Hazrat Ibrahim left his wife, Hazrat Hajra, and his infant son, Hazrat Ismail, alone in the Makkan desert. Desperate for water, Hazrat Hajra ran between the two hills of Safa and Marwah and prayed to Allah. Allah blessed her and Hazrat Ismail with water through a fountain. This water today is known as ZamZam. Today, pilgrims run between the hills of Safa and Marwah in honor of Hazrat Hajra and her struggles. The pilgrims do Tawaaf of the Kaabah that was built by Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Ismail.

The sacrificing of animal and the stoning of the devil (Ramy) also reflects important events that Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Ismail went through. Allah had commanded his Messenger to sacrifice his son in His name. Hazrat Ismail was willing as he believed that Allah would do what is best. The Devil had tried to dissuade Hazrat Ibrahim from performing the sacrifice. Hazrat Ibrahim remaining steadfast in his faith stoned the devil. As he was playing the sacrifice of his son, Allah replaced Hazrat Ismail with a goat and therein began the tradition of sacrificing in the name of Allah.

The method of Hajj done today has been laid down by the Holy Prophet himself (peace be upon him). The Hajj was performed by the Holy Prophet along with the conquest of Makkah in 630 CE. The Kaabah was then cleansed of all false idols. The following year, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded his closest companion, Hazrat Abu Bakr to lead 300 Muslims to the pilgrimage in Mecca. This was when Hazrat Ali delivered a sermon specifying the new rituals of Hajj. The Holy Prophet performed his last pilgrimage in 632 CE. He taught his people the rituals of Hajj and how to perform these rituals. He also delivered a powerful sermon, more commonly known as the Farewell Sermon, on the plain of Arafat where he also declared that the religion of Islam has been perfected. From then, Hajj became one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Hajj was made compulsory in 9th Hijri.